Super elevation surface self-actuating flood barrier

ABSTRACT

Method and apparatus for preventing water from flooding along the length of a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface. A chain of rigid buoyant gate units of increasing heights is flexibly sealingly laterally linked together side by side for pivotable movement of the gate units about at least one pivotation axis, and if more than one axis, then about coplanar pivotation axes. The gate units are situated in a recess in and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the surface between a pair of walls lining the surface parallel to the longitudinal direction to which the pivot axis or axes is/are transverse. One of the walls is at a lower end of the slope and the other wall is at the upper end of the slope. The chain of panels rotates upward serially beginning with a gate unit closest to the lower wall and ending with a gate unit closer to the upper wall under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure, blocking water to one side of the upwardly rotated gate units.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

1. Field of Disclosure

This invention relates to protection of super-elevation surfaces from flooding.

2. Background

Super elevation of a surface is the difference in elevation between two edges. For a railway or roadway, this elevation is normally done where the railway or roadway is curved; raising the outer rail or the outer edge of the road provides a banked turn, allowing vehicles to traverse the curve at higher speeds than would otherwise be possible. The edges may be the outside edges of the road or from a crown at the center of the road to an outside edge (camber) employed to shed sheeting rainwater to the outside edge of the road.

Where roads cut through embankments and do not allow drainage off the road to the sides of the roads, water on the roads is channeled between the embankments. If the road declines in one direction, the channeled water runs longitudinally down the road, threatening flooding down the road, such as by underpasses, side streets or neighborhoods past the embankments. In the case where the embankment is a levy for containment of a body of water on one side of the levee and a road cuts through the levy, a rise of water on one side of the levee may channel through the road cut and flood the land on the protected side of the levee. If the road is super elevated where it cuts through the embankment or levee, rain water at least initially runs to the low side of the road thence along the road, and a rising body of water initially runs along the low side of the road.

It is desirable to prevent flooding on one side of a super elevated cut through an embankment

It is desirable to prevent flooding on one side of a super elevated cut through an embankment and at the same time allow vehicular or pedestrian passage thorough the high side of the cut through if water volume does not rise to the higher end of the cut through.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and in which are shown by way of illustration examples of exemplary embodiments with which the invention may be practiced. In the drawings and descriptions, like or corresponding parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals. The drawings are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of this invention disposed in accordance with this invention on a super elevation surface, with gate units of the exemplary embodiment in normal recumbent disposition.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1., with gate units of the exemplary embodiment raised and viewed from a side of a super elevation surface where water is impounded (the “wet side”).

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1., with gate units of the exemplary embodiment raised and viewed from the side of a super elevation surface protected from flooding by the embodiment (the “dry side”).

FIG. 4 is a plan view schematic of an exemplary embodiment in which the gate units shown have a trapezoidal shape and in which the axis of the gate units is common (concentric) and sloped. This is the arrangement of most of the gates units in FIGS. 1-3 and 6-19.

FIG. 5 is a plan view schematic of an alternative arrangement in which the gate units shown have a trapezoidal shape and in which the axes of the gate units are horizontal and not concentric.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a terminal gate unit for a low end of a super elevation surface, along the line 6-6 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of the gate unit of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the underside (the wet side) of gate unit of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of an intermediate gate unit of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, here the intermediate unit laterally next adjacent the terminal gate unit of FIG. 8, along the line 9-9 of FIG. 11.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the gate unit of FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the underside (the wet side) of the gate unit of FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of the terminal gate unit of FIG. 7 connected to the intermediate gate unit of FIG. 10.

FIG. 13 is a closer view of the central portion of FIG. 102

FIG. 14 is a closer view of the lateral end of the terminal gate unit of FIG. 7 opposite the end thereof connected to the intermediate gate unit of FIG. 10.

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a gate unit in which a gate unit is recumbent in a pan in a super elevation surface.

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment showing a gate unit in elevated and upright position.

FIG. 17 is a cross sectional view of gate units for an exemplary embodiment of this invention, arranged from shortest on the left for the high side of a super elevation surface to tallest on the right for the low side of a super elevation surface.

FIG. 18 is a side view from the wet side of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 showing a sequence of rise of gate units as a water level rises on a super elevation surface.

FIG. 19 is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 18 on the right side of FIG. 18, showing the operation on the enlarged portion in greater detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Specific details described herein, including what is stated in the Abstract, are in every case a non-limiting description and exemplification of embodiments representing concrete ways in which the concepts of the invention may be practiced. This serves to teach one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner consistent with those concepts. Reference throughout this specification to “an exemplary embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in an exemplary embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It will be seen that various changes and alternatives to the specific described embodiments and the details of those embodiments may be made within the scope of the invention. It will be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application. Because many varying and different embodiments may be made within the scope of the inventive concepts herein described and in the exemplary embodiments herein detailed, it is to be understood that the details herein are to be interpreted as illustrative and not as limiting the invention to that which is illustrated and described herein.

The various directions such as “upper,” “lower,” “back,” “front,” “transverse,” “perpendicular”, “vertical”, “normal,” “horizontal,” “length,” “width,” “laterally” and so forth used in the detailed description of exemplary embodiments are made only for easier explanation in conjunction with the drawings. The components may be oriented differently while performing the same function and accomplishing the same result as the exemplary embodiments herein detailed embody the concepts of the invention, and such terminologies are not to be understood as limiting the concepts which the embodiments exemplify.

As used herein, the use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” (or the synonymous “having” or “including”) in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “at least one” and “one or more than one.”

In addition, as used herein, the phrase “connected” means joined to or placed into communication with, either directly or through intermediate components.

The term “trapezoid” or “trapezoidal” as used herein is the term used in American English; outside North America, the equivalent term for “trapezoid” in English is “trapezium,” and the reader of this document in English outside North America should substitute the term “trapezium” for the term “trapezoid” found herein, and, similarly, make the appropriate substitution for “trapezoidal.”

In accordance with this invention, a method and a apparatus is provided for preventing water from flooding along the length of a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, the environment in which the exemplary embodiments of this invention are located and operate are schematically depicted, as are specific exemplary embodiments indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. A super elevation surface 12 has a slope 14 from an upper end 16 to a lower end 18 of surface 12. Slope 14 is transverse to a longitudinal direction 20 of the surface (see FIGS. 1, 4, 5). Surface 12 may be a road, and the longitudinal direction may be a curve of a road banked from upper end 16 to lower end 18 to aid a vehicle turning through the curve. Embankments 22, 24, through which the super elevation surface 12 cuts, flank the upper and lower ends 16, 18, respectively, of super elevation surface 12.

An exemplary method in accordance with the invention comprises arranging and connecting laterally side by side in a continuous series at least three buoyant gate units, including two endmost or terminal gate units and at least one intermediate gate unit, pivotably rotatable upward from recumbent to full upright about at least one pivotation axis, and if more than one axis, then about coplanar pivotation axes. In the exemplary embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-4 and 6-19, the gate units are pivotable about a common pivotation axis parallel to slope 14. In an exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 5, the gate units 100, 101 are pivotable about a plurality of non-concentric horizontal pivotation axes. In the exemplary methodology, the pivotation axis is (or axes in the case of FIG. 5 are) transverse to a first wall 26 at the upper end 16 of surface 12 and transverse to a second wall 28 at the lower end 18 of surface 12. Walls 26 and 28 are parallel to the longitudinal direction 20 of surface 12. In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-4 and 6-19, in which the gate units are pivotable about a common pivotation axis parallel to slope 14, walls 26 and 28 are angled from vertical to be substantially perpendicular to slope 14. In the exemplary embodiments depicted in FIG. 5, the walls 26, 28 are substantially normal to the horizon.

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-3, in an exemplary embodiment of apparatus of the invention, a plurality of buoyant gate units 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 39 are arranged and connected laterally side by side in a continuous series. Two of these gate units, 38 and 39, are depicted in FIG. 4. Gate unit 39 is also depicted in FIGS. 6-9, and gate unit 38 is further depicted in FIGS. 10-12.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1-18, gate units 30-39 are normally recumbently recessed in surface 12 between the walls 26, 28. Referring to FIGS. 1-3, 15-16, and 18, 19 the gate units 30-39 are pivotably rotatable upward under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure from a recumbent position (FIGS. 1 and 15) to a full upright position (FIGS. 2-3, 16, 18-19) about a pivotation axis 50 (FIGS. 15-16) parallel to slope 14 and transverse to the walls 26, 28. Gate units 30-39 individually elevate in part according to water height in front of the particular gate unit and cooperate to act as a single water barrier gate 40 aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction 20 of super elevation surface 12 to prevent passage of water on surface 12 past gate 40.

The gate units of the invention are buoyant. The buoyancy may be provided by an assembly of hollow tubes. Exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 6, 9, 15-17 depict a section of a buoyant gate unit such as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 8, and 11. In an exemplary embodiment, the buoyant gate units comprise a panel that may be made of a plurality of repeating assembly units 81 comprising hollow tubes 82, for example, tubes rectilinear in cross section, suitably of aluminum, connected, for example, by stitch welding, along the length of a tube 82. In the exemplary embodiment of gate unit 39, see FIG. 17, assembly units 81 non-limitingly comprise units of four connected tubes 82 and units of two connected tubes 82. Each assembly unit 81 has a rib 83 along the length on one outer tube 82 and a groove 84 along the length of the other outer tube 82. Assembly units 81 are joined rib 83 of one unit 81 into groove 84 of a next adjacent unit 81 and the rib in groove joints are groove welded. The cross sectional dimensions of the tubular components 82 of an assembly unit 81, and the number and mix of assembly units 81 used to build up a gate panel, determine the panel height of a gate unit such as gate units 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 or 39. The length of the tubes 82 determines the width of a panel of a gate unit such as gate units 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 or 39. In an exemplary embodiment, tubes 82 may be 8 feet long for panels of gate units 31-39. In an illustrative example, surface 12 may be 77 feet wide. To accommodate the width of the illustration surface 12 in combination with gate units 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39, in an exemplary embodiment gate unit 30 is less wide than 8 feet.

Referring to the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1-5, 8, and 11 and 17, gate units 32-39, and in FIG. 5, gate units 100, 101, have a right-angled trapezoid shape. In the exemplary embodiments typified by FIG. 4 (exemplary embodiments FIGS. 1-3 and 6-19), side 15 of gate units 38, 39 is not right angled to an adjacent side. Side 15 is a flange (see also FIG. 17) that has a slope substantially equal to the slope 14 of super elevation surface 12, albeit in the opposite direction.

Gate units 30 and 39 are the terminal or endmost units of gate 40. The other gate units 31-38 are interior gate units. Each interior gate unit 31-38 has lateral sides 42, 44. In the longitudinal views of FIGS. 10, 12 and 13, these sides 42, 44 are respectively the viewer's left and right lateral ends of the gate units, gate unit 38 being shown as generally representative). Terminal gate unit 30 has a lateral side 43 adjacent wall 16 and an opposite lateral side 44. Terminal gate unit 39 has a lateral side 45 adjacent wall 18 and an opposite lateral side 42 (in the longitudinal views of FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, sides 42 and 45 of gate unit 39 are respectively the viewer's left and right lateral ends of gate unit 39. These lateral sides of gates 32-39 are the “adjacent sides” for gate units of the type shown in FIG. 4 and mentioned in the phrase “not right angled to an adjacent side” used herein.

In the exemplary embodiments typified by FIG. 5, side 17 of gate units 100, 101 is not right angled to an adjacent side. Side 17 is a flange that has a slope substantially equal to the slope 14 of super elevation surface 12, and in the same sloping direction.

A gate unit also comprises a topside 41, an underside face 47, a fore end 48, and a back end 49. In the trapezoidally shaped gate units 32-39, fore end 48 is adjacent to side 15. In the trapezoidally shaped gate units 100, 101 (FIG. 5), back end 49 is adjacent to side 17. In an exemplary embodiment (see, e.g., FIG. 16), topside 41 comprises a surface of a high-wear epoxy coating 87 layered onto a grid of rods 88 and bars 89 fastened to the gate unit panel. The coating protects the gate unit panels from the effect of vehicular traffic on the gate units when the gate units are recumbent.

Referring generally to FIGS. 2 and 3, the height of the wall 26 at the upper end 16 of the sloped surface 12 is at least as tall as terminal gate unit 30 at the upper end 16 of the sloped surface 12. The height of the wall 28 at the lower end 18 of the sloped surface 12 is at least as tall as the terminal gate unit 39 at the lower end 18 of the sloped surface 12. Referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 17, the heights of the gate units 30-39 in the series progress from shortest for the terminal unit 30 at the upper end 16 to tallest for the terminal unit 39 at the lower end 18. Referring to FIG. 17, gate units 30 and 31 have the same height. Referring to FIG. 18, side 15 of the gate units 32-39 when raised presents a horizontal profile from gate unit 32 near the upper end 16 to tallest for the terminal unit 39 at the lower end 18 of sloped surface 12.

In the illustrative example depicted in FIGS. 2 and 18, reference numeral 21 indicates a rising water line, and reference numeral 15 in FIG. 18 represents the elevation that side 15 of gates 30-39 will attain when fully erect. FIG. 18 shows that elevation 15 is always higher than water line 21 during all phases of erection of gate 40. FIGS. 2 and 18 also show that gate units 30-34 do not need to elevate fully to block water at water line 21.

In the embodiments of the type represented in FIG. 5, side 19 of the gate units 100, 101 when fully upright present a horizontal profile from a gate unit near the upper end 16 to tallest for the terminal unit at the lower end 18 of sloped surface 12.

Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, in an exemplary embodiment, an exemplar gate unit 90 of the type shown in FIG. 4 is normally recumbently housed in an elongate pan 52 recessed in super elevation surface 12 and transversely oriented to the longitudinal direction 20 of surface 12 between walls 26, 28. Pan 52 has two parallel sides, one of which is adjacent wall 26 at the upper end 16 of super elevation surface 12 and the other of which is adjacent wall 28 at the lower end 18 of super elevation surface 12. Pan 52 further has a bottom 53, a fore end 54, and a back end 55. In the exemplary embodiments typified in FIGS. 1 and 4, fore end 54 of pan 52 has a trapezoidal shape where it accommodates trapezoidally shaped gate units 32-39 (in FIG. 4, these are gate units 38, 39). For accommodation of gate units such as exemplary embodiments 100, 101 as typified by FIG. 5, back end 55 of pan 52 has a trapezoidal shape. The fore end 54 of pan 52 receives the sides 15 of the gate units not right angled to an adjacent side of the gate units, as in the type exemplified in FIG. 4. The back end 55 of pan 52 holds the sides 17 of the gate units not right angled to an adjacent side of the gate units, as in the type exemplified in FIG. 5. In the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 1-3 in which gate units 30, 31 do not have a trapezoidal shape, pan 52 does not have a trapezoidal profile in that portion and is rectilinearly shaped there to accommodate gate units 30, 31. The exemplary embodiment of this pan casually may be thought of as having a panhandle. The panhandle shape of this particular embodiment of a pan 52 is merely illustrative and is a function of the set of characteristics in which the water line 21 for water blocked by a fully elevated terminal gate 39 is less high than only partially elevated gate units 30, 31 in the particular illustrative example in which the width of surface 12 is about 77 feet, the height of the wall 28 adjacent side lateral side 45 of gate unit 39 on the low end of surface 12 is about 2 feet, and the slope of the surface is about half way between 2 and 3 degrees, approximately 2.6 degrees. A different set of site circumstances would affect the plan view shape of the pan, which could be fully trapezoidal.

Referring to FIGS. 15, 16, each gate unit 90, normally recumbently disposed, resides in pan 52 with underside face 47 of gate unit 90 spaced above bottom 53 of pan 52 to allow admittance of water in unoccupied portions of a space 51 under gate unit 90. The gate units 90 occupy pan 52 above space 51 except a portion 51′ at the fore end 54 of pan 52. Fore end portion 51′ unoccupied by a gate unit 90 opens upwardly and provides a narrow slit entrance 57 transverse to longitudinal direction 20 of surface 12 through which water on surface 12 is admitted into pan 52. Slit entrance 57 is sufficiently narrow to allow vehicles longitudinally traversing surface 12 to drive over slit entrance without influencing the vehicle tires. Water admitted through entrance 57 runs into the unoccupied portions of space 51. In the type of embodiment represented by FIG. 4, the slit entrance 57 is generally parallel to side 15 of the gate units, e.g. 38, 39. In the type of embodiment exemplified in FIG. 5, the slit entrance is generally parallel to side 19 of the gate units, e.g. 100, 101.

Pan 52 is anchored to a concrete foundation 58 comprising a lower, first pour seal slab 59 and a second pour slab 60 in ground 11. Horizontal channels 62 tee from vertical flanges 61 fixed to pan bottom 21. Channels 62 fill with concrete and embed in upper slab 60 in the second pour, providing anchors running normal to a pivotation axis 50. Concrete embedded channels 62 are parallel to the longitudinal direction 20 of super elevation surface 12. Channels 62 hardened in upper slab 60 are further anchored to lower first pour slab 59 by anchors bolts 63. Suitably, lower seal slab 59 in ground 11 is tied into super elevation surface 12, by well-known means, such as by dowels 78, 79.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 15, 16, a plurality of pivotation members 73 comprising a stationary female member 74 connected to the back end 55 of pan 52 (see below) and a moveable male member 75 moveably joined to stationary member 74. Moveable male member 75 is connected to the back end 49 of a gate unit and is pivotable about a pin 76 concentric with sloped axis 14 to allow the gate unit to rotate upwardly from pan 52.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 15, 16, an L-shaped flange 91 is attached to foundation 58. The top outside of the back end 55 of pan 52 is fillet welded to foundation flange 91. A first L-shaped flange 92 having a length the same as the width of gate unit 90 is fillet welded by a vertical leg 92′ to the top inside of the back end 55 of pan 52. A second L-shaped flange 93 also having a length the same as the width of gate unit 90 is fillet welded at second flange vertical leg 93′ to the top of the back end 49 of gate unit 90. Flexible strip gasket 94 is disposed over the horizontal legs 92″, 93″ respectively of, and along the length of, L-shaped flange members 92, 93. A first flat pressure plate 95 having the same length as the width of gate unit 90 is arranged over strip gasket 94 longitudinally atop horizontal leg 92″ of flange 92. Threaded fasteners 96 pass consecutively through drilled passages in first flat pressure plate 95, strip gasket 94, and horizontal leg 92″ of first L-shaped flange 92, thence into one of a plurality of drilled and tapped stationary pivotation member 74, to fasten strip 94 and stationary pivotation member(s) 74 to horizontal leg 92″ of first L-shaped flange 92, thereby securing strip 94 and stationary pivotation member 74 to vertical L-shaped flange 92′ welded to pan 52. A second flat pressure plate 97 having the same length as the width of gate unit 90 is arranged over gasket strip 94 longitudinally atop horizontal leg 93″ of L-shaped seal plate flange 93. Threaded fasteners 98 pass consecutively through passages in second flat pressure plate 97, strip 94, and horizontal leg 93″ of L-shaped seal plate flange 93, thence into a drilled and tapped movable pivotation member 75, to attach moveable pivotation member 75 to horizontal leg 93″ of second L-shaped flange 93 and secure strip 94 and moveable pivotation member(s) 75 to horizontal leg 93″ and thereby securing strip 94 and moveable pivotation member 75 to vertical L-shaped frame member 93′ welded to gate 90.

Gate units 100, 101 of FIG. 5, as part of a continuous connected series of gate units, pivotally rotate upward about a plurality of horizontal axes defined by pins 102 joining a stationary female member 103 connected to the back end 55 of pan 52 and a moveable male member 104 moveably joined to stationary member 103. In an exemplary embodiments, the pivotation mounts and pin axes are hinge members 105 in FIG. 5. The manner of attachment of the pivotation members and shielding gasket described for gates 1-4 and 6-19 apply to the pivotation members of gate units 100, 101 with such adjustments as will be evident to those skilled in the art.

Gate units 30-39 (and gate units of the type 100, 101) are kept from rotating past vertical from water pressure acting on the raised gate units by tensioning retention arms 64. Retention arms 64 normally are in a folded position when the gate units are recumbently disposed in pan 52. Arms 64 unfold on rising of a gate unit from pan 52, to straighten out when the gate unit is erect, and when straighten out, to exert tension on an erect gate unit resisting the horizontal hydrostatic forces of water pressing against the risen gate unit. At the gate end of arms 64, arms 64 are each attached to a gate anchor mount 85, and at the other end, arms 64 are attached to a pan anchor mount 66 attached to bottom 53 of pan 52. Pan 52 is additionally anchored by anchor bolts 65 that extend into the lower seal pour concrete slab 59 from retention arm anchor pan mounts retention arm pan mounts 66 secured to pan bottom 53.

Still referring to FIG. 15, pan 52 includes a pan drainage system comprising at least one trough 68 draining into one or more openings 69 for connection to one or more passages 70 to outlets 71 lower in elevation than opening(s) 69 in pan 52. In the exemplary embodiment, trough 68 is substantially parallel to pivotation axis 50 and accordingly the upper end of trough 68 will drain toward the lower end of the trough and at least one opening 69 may be near lower end 18. A purpose of troughs 68, openings 69, passages 70 and outlets 71 is to drain water held by gate 40 between walls 16 and 18 in the cut between embankments 13, 15.

A plurality of support pan beams 72 traverse bottom 53 of pan 52 from back end 55 to fore end 54 spanning over trough 68. Pan beams 72 contribute to support of buoyant gate 40 when the gate units 30-39 are recumbently disposed in pan 52. A plurality of support gate beams 80 are affixed to the underside 47 of a gate unit from the back end 49 to fore end 48 and occupy a portion of space 51 when a gate unit is recumbently disposed in pan 52. Support gate beams 80 are displaced laterally from support pan beams 72 so that they non-interferingly occupy space 51 and cooperatively contribute to support of a gate unit above space 51 in pan 52. Support of a gate unit in pan 52 by pan beams 72 and gate beams 80 especially allows the gate unit to be vertical weight bearing in normal recumbent disposition in the pan so that the gate unit may serve vehicular traffic atop it.

Referring generally to FIGS. 2 and 3, terminal gate unit 30 at the upper end of the series and terminal gate unit 39 at the lower end of the series, laterally sealingly contact the upper and lower walls 26, 28 respectively. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 14, reference numeral 106 indicates a sealing member along the lateral side 45 of gate unit 39 for contacting walls 28 to restrain passage of water between the side 45 of gate unit 39 and walls 28 as gate unit 39 rotates upwardly from pan 52. Referring particularly to FIG. 14, an exemplary embodiment of sealing member 106 is shown in which the sealing member comprises flexible lip seals. The lateral side 45 of gate unit 39 comprises a seal plate 45′. Drilled structural angle member 107 is affixed to seal plate 45′. Secured by bolts 108 holding down and passing through pressure plate 109 into angle member 107 is a lip seal 110 backed by a gasket 110 under pressure plate 109. Lip seal 110 and gasket 111 sealingly contact wall 28 during movement of gate unit 39 upward about pivotation axis 50 and hold the seal when gate unit 39 is upright. Gate 30 comprises a like sealing member (not shown) for sealingly contact wall 26 during movement of gate unit 30 upward about pivotation axis 50.

Referring generally to FIGS. 4, 5, 12 and 13, an exemplary embodiment of a connection means for flexibly connecting adjacent panels gate units, in this case units 38 and 39, is shown. A lateral side 42 of each gate unit, e.g., unit 39 next adjacent another gate unit in the series, e.g., unit 38, is connected to the lateral side 44 of that next adjacent gate unit (e.g. unit 38) by a water impervious flexible web 46 preventing passage of water between the sides of the flexibly connected adjacent units (e.g., units 38, 39). Web 46 comprises a gasket 46′, suitably 3/16 inch thick containing a glass rod fill 46″ for maintaining gasket profile. Web 46 is sandwiched between drilled and tapped pressure plate members 113, 113′ that attach to gate units 38 and 39 by countersunk bolts 107, 107′. The flexible connection of adjacent gates allows the gate unit closer to the lower wall 28—and therefore lower on slope 14 and in a water condition deeper in water than the next adjacent gate unit higher up slope 14—to float upwardly without having to wait until water creeps up slope 14 sufficiently to float the next adjacent gate unit, and so on up the slope for each gate unit. If the connection of adjacent gate units were rigid, then the lower gate units would be deterred from rising until the higher gate units rose.

An L-shaped flange 115 having a length the same as the height of a gate unit to which it is attached is fillet welded by a vertical (as viewed with the gate unit recumbent) leg 115′ to the top lateral side 44 of terminal gate unit 30 and intermediate gate units 31-38. Another L-shaped flange 116 also having a length the same as the height of a gate unit to which it is attached is fillet welded at by a vertical (as viewed with the gate unit recumbent) leg 116′ to the top lateral side 42 of terminal gate 39 and intermediate gates 31-38. The horizontal arms 116″ of flanges 116 are longer than the horizontal arms 115″ of flanges 115 of the next left adjacent gate unit. The longer horizontal arms 116″ overlay the shorter horizontal arms 115″ when the adjacent gate units are both recumbent in pan 52 occluding the gap between adjacent gate units for service of gate 40 to vehicular traffic on surface 12. As the intermediate gate units serially rise under influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure, horizontal arms 116″ rise first, followed by arms 115″. The tops of the horizontal arms 115″ of flanges 115 eventually come into contact with the underside of the horizontal arms 116″ of flanges 116 in the next adjacent more erect gate unit, reinforcing the erect stature of the next adjacent more erect gate unit and providing a metal to metal seal supplementing the seal provided by web 46.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 18-18, reference numeral 21 indicates a water line of floodwaters impounded by gate 40 comprising a chain of rigid buoyant gate units 30-39 of increasing heights flexibly sealingly laterally linked together side by side. FIGS. 18-19 illustrate the action of the gate units 30-39 as the water line increases in height. The chain of gate units 39-30 rotates upward serially beginning with gate unit 39 closest to lower wall 28 and ending with gate unit 30 closest to upper wall 26 under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure, cooperating to block water to one side of the upwardly rotated gate units 30-39. Viewed from the low end wall 28, the action of the gate units is reminiscent of a chain laying flat, one end of which is then twisted to vertical with the twist upward cascading one by one down the length of the chain, web 46 flexibly sealingly laterally linking the chain of rigid gate units together.

In operation of exemplary embodiment 10 (FIGS. 1-3 and 18-19), when surface sheeting waters run down slope 14 and are blocked by wall 28 and embankment 24, the water is admitted into pan 52 through entrance 79. Initially a buoyant force equal to the weight of water displaced by a gate unit 90 pushes the underside 47 of gate unit 90 rotationally upwardly about pivotation axis 50 against the force of gravity. Referring specifically to gate units 39, 38, 37 etc., as water rises from the deeper end of slope 14 nearest lower wall 28, the portion of gate unit 39 nearest its lateral side 45 will carry more of a weight load than the portion of gate unit 39 nearest lateral side 42, but gate 39 will lift. In sequence moving up slope 14, the same effect will work first on intermediate gate unit 38, the gate unit 37, then gate unit 36 etc., the lateral side 44 of the intermediate gate carrying more of a weight load than the lateral side 42 of the gate unit. As a gate unit inclines upwardly, the moments of the gravitational force normal to the topside of a gate unit grow smaller and angular moments of the gravitational force develop and begin to orient in a direction approaching more parallel to the underside (front face, facing the water) of a gate unit and against pivotation axis 50. In consequence, the gravitational forces begin to exert less resistance to the buoyancy forces. As rise of a gate unit continues, the hydrostatic pressure of the water pressing against the underside (front face) of a gate unit increases and contributes more and more to pushing against the underside of a gate unit as at the same time smaller and smaller moments of the gravity forces are acting against the back face of a gate unit and more and more moments of the gravitational force are borne by the pivotation members. Eventually if the height of the water is sufficient, hydrostatic pressure of water pressing against the front face underside of a gate unit surpasses the buoyancy forces and overcomes the gravitational forces, and a gate unit is pushed to a full upright position. In the vertical position, gravity forces are parallel to the underside of a gate unit and normal to the pivotation axis. The buoyancy forces are parallel to the face of the gate unit, essentially normal to the pivotation axis and oppose the gravitational forces. Hydrostatic pressure normal to the face of the gate unit holds the gate unit upright. When water against the underside face 47 of the raised gate units of gate 40 recedes, the force holding gate units of the gate vertical is reduced, and moments of the force of gravity grow in a direction normal to the back face of the gate unit. Hydrostatic pressure yields to buoyancy forces in opposition to gravity, until eventually, the gate units serially resume their respective recumbent positions in pan 52.

It is therefore seen that the embodiments exemplarily described herein reveal a method for preventing water from flooding along the length of a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface. The method comprises arranging a chain of rigid buoyant gate units of increasing heights flexibly sealingly laterally linked together side by side in a recess in and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the surface between a pair of walls lining the surface parallel to the longitudinal direction, one wall at a lower end of the slope and the other wall at the upper end of the slope, for pivotable movement of the gate units about at least one pivotation axis, and if more than one axis, then about coplanar pivotation axes, transverse to said walls, and allowing the chain of panels to rotate upward serially beginning with a gate unit closest to the lower wall and ending with a gate unit closer to the upper wall under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure, blocking water to one side of the upwardly rotated gate units.

The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, and not restrictive. The appended claims are intended to cover all modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fall within the true scope of the present invention. To the maximum extent allowed by law, the present invention is to be determined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims and their equivalents, unrestricted or limited by the foregoing detailed descriptions of exemplary embodiments of the invention. 

1. Apparatus for preventing water from flooding along the length of a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface, comprising a wall at the upper end and a wall at the lower end of the surface, parallel to the longitudinal direction of the surface, at least three buoyant gate units connectedly arranged side by side in a continuous series normally recumbently recessed in the surface between the walls, said units including two terminal gate units and at least one intermediate gate unit, each gate unit pivotably rotating upward under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure from recumbent to a full upright about at least one pivotation axis, and if more than one axis, then about coplanar pivotation axes, transverse to said walls, the heights of the gate units in the series progressing from shortest for the terminal gate unit at the upper end of the super elevation surface to tallest for the terminal gate unit at the lower end of the super elevation surface.
 2. Apparatus of claim 1 comprising a common pivotation axis parallel to said slope for all gate units.
 3. Apparatus of claim 2 in which a plurality of adjacent gate units including at least the terminal gate unit at said lower end have the shape of a right-angled trapezoid in which the side not right angled to an adjacent side has a slope equal to the slope of the surface.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the side not right angled to an adjacent side of at least one gate unit of said shape is a side distal from the pivotation axis.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the side not right angled to an adjacent side of all gate units of said shape is a side distal from the pivotation axis.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the side not right angled to an adjacent side of at least one gate unit of said shape is a side proximate and parallel to the pivotation axis.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which the side not right angled to an adjacent side of all gate units of said shape is a side proximate and parallel to the pivotation axis.
 8. Apparatus of claim 1 in which the gate units are have the shape of a rectangle and in which the apparatus comprises a plurality of horizontal pivotation axes in a plane in which said slope of the surface is an hypotenuse and the minor acute angle of said axes to said hypotenuse is proximal to said upper end of the slope.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the recess comprises a pan having a trapezoidal shape including two parallel sides, one of which is adjacent said wall at the upper end of the super elevation surface and the other of which is adjacent said wall at the lower end of the super elevation surface, the side of the pan not right angled to said parallel sides receiving the sides of the gate units not right angled to an adjacent side of the gate units.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1 in which a lateral side of each gate unit next adjacent another gate unit in the series is connected to the lateral side of that next adjacent gate unit by a water impervious flexible web preventing passage of water between the sides of the flexibly connected adjacent units.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the height of the wall at the upper end of the sloped surface is at least as tall as the terminal gate unit at the upper end of the sloped surface and the height of the wall at the lower end of the sloped surface is at least as tall as the terminal gate unit at the lower end of the sloped surface
 12. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the terminal gate unit at the upper end of the series and the terminal gate unit at the lower end of the series laterally sealingly contact said upper and lower walls respectively,
 13. A method for preventing water from flooding along the length of a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface, comprising: arranging a chain of rigid buoyant gate units of increasing heights flexibly sealingly laterally linked together side by side in a recess in and transverse to the longitudinal direction of the surface between a pair of walls lining the surface parallel to the longitudinal direction, one wall at a lower end of the slope and the other wall at the upper end of the slope, for pivotable movement of the gate units about at least one pivotation axis, and if more than one axis, then about coplanar pivotation axes, transverse to said walls, and allowing the chain of panels to rotate upward serially beginning with a gate unit closest to the lower wall and ending with a gate unit closer to the upper wall under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure, blocking water to one side of the upwardly rotated gate units.
 14. A method for preventing water from flooding along the length of a super elevation surface having a slope from an upper end to a lower end transverse to a longitudinal direction of the surface, comprising: arranging and connecting laterally side by side in a continuous series at least three buoyant gate units about a pivotation axis parallel to said slope and transverse to a first wall at the upper end parallel to the longitudinal direction of the surface and a second wall at the lower end of the surface parallel to the first wall, a terminal gate unit at the upper end of the series laterally sealingly contacting said first wall and a terminal gate unit at the lower end of the series laterally sealingly contacting said second wall, the height of the first wall being at least as tall as the terminal gate unit at the upper end of the sloped surface, the height of the second wall being at least as tall as the terminal gate unit at the lower end of the sloped surface, the heights of the gate units in the series progressing from shortest for the terminal unit at the upper end to tallest for the terminal unit at the lower end, and recumbently recessing the gate units in the surface between the walls for pivotation rotatable upward about said pivotation axis from recumbent to full upright under the influence of water buoyancy and hydrostatic pressure admitted to one face side of the gate units. 